“It surely must mean our Tom,” Megsy began. Then she added excitedly, “Oh, Virg, I was right, wasn’t I? Tom’s last names does begin with W, but it is Wentworth and not Wente. However, it is curious, isn’t it, that he and Babs have last names so near alike?” Virginia nodded. “Now,” she said, “the big question is, how shall we get this glorious news to Tom in the shortest possible time?” “It surely can’t be done tonight,” Margaret, said as she lighted the lamp with its warm crimson shade, “for it is nearly dark.” Then she added, “Isn’t there some way to telephone to the Wilson Ranch?” Virg shook her head. “No,” she replied, “distances are so great here on the desert that the only telephone lines are those that have been erected by neighbors for their own private use. Our telephone connects us with the Dartley ranch and was put up merely for protection in case either of us might be in urgent need of assistance.” Then as she seated herself by the table, Virg said, “When Malcolm comes in we’ll ask his advice. Oh, I am so happy about it! How I wish I might be with Tom when he hears the goods news that I might see his face glow when he realizes that he is no longer a fugitive from justice. But who is your letter from?” “Another plump epistle from Babs!” Megsy replied. “Shall I read it to you?” Virg nodded in the affirmative and took up her sewing. Margaret unfolded the truly voluminous letter and began reading another chapter in the life of Babs at the Vine Haven Boarding School. CHAPTER XXXVII AN APRIL FOOL ROMANCE “Vine Haven Seminary, “April 4, 1922. “Dearest Cowgirls: You never could guess what has happened since I wrote you last and, since you are too far away for me to really enjoy mystifying you, I will tell you all about it. Well, to begin at the beginning. You know there are certain girls in this school who have always wished that they could be members of “The Lucky 13,” but, for various reasons, we have not wished to enlarge our membership nor include these particular girls, and so they formed a club of their own and called it “The Exclusive Three.” Then, if you please, they actually told around that we had invited them to become members of our club, but that they had refused since some of our fathers were tradespeople, while all of their fathers are retired gentlemen. Of course, you know, that sort of snobbishness never impresses “The Lucky Thirteen.” We took it all as a joke and were glad they were to have a club of their own, for we want everyone to be happy.